FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a known multi-fiber push on (MPO) connector module 2 designed for use with a parallel optical transceiver module. The MPO connector module 2 is secured to a duplex fiber ribbon cable 3 having a total of four, eight, twelve or twenty-four optical fibers (not shown). A strain relief device 4 holds and grips the fibers below their ends to prevent the fiber ends from moving in the event that mechanical loading on the cable 3 occurs due to tugging or pulling of the cable 3. The connector module 2 has an outer housing 5 and an inner housing 6. The inner housing 6 has latching elements 7 thereon for securing the module 2 to the receptacle 21. A collar 8 surrounds the outer housing 5 of the connector module 2 and is in sliding engagement therewith. The ends of the optical fibers (not shown) are held within a multi-fiber ferrule 9 that extends slightly beyond the end 11 of the inner housing 6. The ends (not shown) of the fibers are polished and extend a very small distance beyond the end of the ferrule 9 such that the polished end of each fiber provides a flat optical element for coupling light between the polished end and an optical element (not shown) of the receptacle 21.
The collar 8 is in sliding engagement with the outer housing 5 of the connector module 2. When a user inserts the MPO connector module 2 into the receptacle 21, the user pushes the collar 8 towards the receptacle 21 such that the inner surface of the collar 8 presses against latching elements (not shown) of the receptacle 21 to prevent them from disengaging from the latching elements 7. In order to decouple the MPO connector module 2 from the receptacle 21, a user pulls the collar 8 in a direction opposite the direction of insertion of the module 2 into the receptacle 21. When the collar 8 is moved in this direction, the force exerted by the inner surface of the collar 8 on the latching elements of the receptacle 21 is removed to allow the module 2 to be decoupled from the receptacle 21.
While the MPO connector 2 works well for its intended purpose, it is designed to be easily manually decoupled from the receptacle 21 by a user by hand. In certain cases, it is desirable to prevent an MPO connector module of the type shown in FIG. 1 from being easily manually decoupled from a receptacle, such as in cases where the connection between the MPO connector module and the receptacle is intended to be a permanent or pseudo-permanent connection.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device that is adapted to be used with an MPO connector module to prevent the module from being easily manually decoupled from a receptacle.